Protection Policy

Background Checks for Local and Regional Youth MinistryAs of January 1, 2007, the Regional requirement is: All adults attending a regional or sub-regional event, where youth are present, must have undergone a national background screening. (Suggested companies below.)

Southeast Region Requirements

National criminal background screening to include:

An application on file at church*

A national criminal background check on file at church*

Documentation that personal references given on the application have been checked, kept with application*

A face to face interview with the applicant by church personnel

In addition, it is strongly suggested that churches have:

A national criminal background check on all adults working with youth & teens both staff and volunteers

Federal Fingerprint Checks on all adults working with youth & teens both staff and volunteers

Driving record reports on any person transporting minors for church events

* All reports are to be considered confidential and stored in a locked area with limited access. Only the minister/and or another staff member (perhaps youth ministry director) should have access. Volunteers must remain in continuous volunteer service - not move away and then back or have an absence of more than 3 months - or an updated screening should be run.

FBI Fingerprint CheckIn addition to the background checks above, the FBI can run a fingerprint check for any individual. Depending on your state, a third party cannot request a fingerprint check, but any individual can request their own. The cost is $18. The steps are:

under the heading Get Information I Need, click on Request an FBI Identification Record, or rap sheet?

Follow the instructions. They will have to actually take the fingerprint card to a local law enforcement agency to have their prints taken.

A Fingerprint check will check all existing fingerprint databases, both criminal and civil. If the person has been fingerprinted for being arrested, bonded, armed services, or for another occupation, if will come back on this report. If they are in the system, it will also confirm that the name and social security number belong to the volunteer.